Jigg’s Dinner with Lemon Roast Chicken

I made Jigg’s Dinner for the first time yesterday. Well I have made it before but my grandfather was supervising, so this is the first time I’ve tried making it on my own. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was a true bachelorette so I never made family style dinners like this traditional Newfoundland and Labrador dish. For those of you not familiar with this recipe, it’s similar to Irish corned beef and cabbage but uses cured navel beef or “salt beef”. It’s very salty of course, and fatty, which is why you have to boil it for so long and change the water at least once. The salt from the beef, seasons the vegetables and pease pudding. Usually, this is served with any type of roast meat or poultry. It can be also be served as a main. My main was Lemon Roast Chicken. It’s the same basic roast chicken recipe I posted earlier but you stuff a lemon and six garlic cloves inside the cavity before roasting. Once cooked, squeeze juice of another half lemon into the drippings, whisk in chilled butter to make a sauce, and serve. I made a classic gravy instead and it had a definite lemon flavour but it was nice because it cut through the richness of the sauce. I was in such a hurry to eat, I forgot to take a photo of the whole thing but I have a shot of today’s leftovers with the pease pudding so you get an idea of what I’m talking about. The pease pudding is at the top of the shot. You can make it as thick or as thin as you want, but I like mine super thick. Basically, it’s pea soup paste, but yummier.

I must admit that this blog has been more work than I anticipated. If it was just me, it would be fine but with a small baby it’s hard to find time to write out the recipes and fuss with the photos to make them look half decent. Today was a perfect example. My daugher woke up ultra early and would not go back to sleep, so all day she’s been very fussy and clingy. I quickly set up the food and promptly ate it before she had a true meltdown. Luckily that’s very rare. I think her teeth are starting to both her, poor thing. So, when she’s feeling better I hope to offer photographs that look more enticing. 🙂

Using a mason jar with holes in the cover, fill half full with peas and put in a large pot with the salt beef, then add enough water to cover your mason jar (set on the side). Bring to boil then turn down to a low boil.

Cook for 1.5 hrs, then pour out the water and replace (make sure it’s hot water or your mason jar might crack).

Add turnip and cabbage, whole onion, and parsnip. Cook for 1 hour

Add carrots and potatoes. Cook for another 20- 30 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the water from the pot. (most people put them in all together I think but I like my potatoes just cooked)

Carefully remove mason jar, open and scrap peas into bowl, add butter and pepper to taste, mash and serve on the side with the boiled vegetables, and salt beef.

I am from Newfoundland and Labrador originally and grew up eating Jigs Dinner at ever Sunday dinner, if not more. If you read the instructions, they’re all there except for the parsnip. As you can imagine, it will vary according to a families taste. I don’t like carrots, cabbage, or parsnip so I didn’t put them on my plate. My guest loves all of it though so he had it on his plate but I forgot to take a pic. I hope that clears things up.

hope you don’t think i am being a wise guy i just never well i only had it once and it was a full turkey dinner not chicken with salt beef i am down in the states was there a few times and on one occasion we had jigs dinner it was great and i guess you can substitute the turkey with chicken it was great want to back for more no one here in new york ever heard of it keep on cooking
Art